Monique Taylor Returns to Politics in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek

Former Hamilton Mountain MPP Monique Taylor is making a comeback – this time in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek.

Taylor shared with CBC Hamilton on Wednesday that she will be the NDP candidate for this riding in the upcoming byelection, which is necessary due to sitting Conservative MPP Neil Lumsden’s retirement.

“The moment that Neil resigned, everything inside of me told me that this was the opportunity for Hamilton East to have me as a representative and that I could go back to Queens Park and fight back against Doug Ford’s scandals,” Taylor said in an interview.

NDP Provincial Director Ali Chatur confirmed to CBC that Taylor will be acclaimed as the NDP candidate for the riding and will be officially nominated Friday.

The byelection might happen before or after the municipal election on Oct. 26 – anytime between September and February. The provincial government has six months from when a seat becomes vacant to call it. Lumsden has stated he plans to retire on Aug. 4.

PC MPP Neil Lumsden said he would be retiring in August. (Bobby Hristova/CBC)

Taylor served as the representative for Hamilton Mountain from 2011 until 2025 when she chose not to seek re-election, instead opting for a federal run.

Monica Ciriello secured the riding for the Progressive Conservatives during the February 2025 provincial election – marking their first win in Hamilton Mountain since 1995.

In April 2025, Taylor finished a distant third in the federal race for Hamilton Mountain, receiving about 12 percent of the vote. Liberal Lisa Hepfner was elected with approximately 45 percent of the vote.

In the upcoming byelection, Taylor will face:

Ward 10 city councillor Jeff Beattie, running for the Progressive Conservatives. Heino Doessing, who is running for the Liberals and claims he previously served as a municipal councillor in Denmark. Ward 4 constituency assistant Pascale Marchand, representing the Green Party of Ontario.

Both Doessing and Marchand have previously run for office in Hamilton.

Taylor’s Roots Run Deep

Since leaving her position, Taylor mentioned she’s been enjoying quality time with family while helping care for her grandchildren, who are aged one and seven.

She explained that she ran federally because she recognized an opportunity to advocate for children’s welfare and veterans at a national level.

Taylor expressed how “absolutely devastating” it was to see Progressive Conservatives win Hamilton Mountain, adding that she believes residents have been let down by Ford’s government on matters like housing affordability.

To regain voters’ trust, she said it’ll take “knocking on doors and talking to people and showing them that they do have a fighter who’s on their side, someone who’s ready to hit the ground running and stand up for them with a proven track record.”

Taylor also noted she was born and raised in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek where she brought up her daughter; calling it a “full circle moment.”

In his announcement regarding his candidacy with PCs, Beattie stated he felt “honoured” about having this chance. “As part of Doug Ford’s team, I’ll work every day to build on the progress we’ve made,” he said in a news release.

On another note, Doessing shared with Liberals that he’s been hearing from locals about “what folks want to see from their provincial government.” He expressed eagerness to continue these conversations while offering practical solutions through social media posts.

Marchand mentioned she’s stepping up partly because of her love for her community. “I’m ready to fight to make it more accessible and more welcoming for everyone. Right now people are looking for a government that will put people and places we love ahead of corporations and billionaires,” she stated in an announcement.

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